Students twisting facts, playing social justice card: JNU

JNU administration today alleged that the students who have been "illegally occupying" the admin block have been playing the "social justice" card by twisting facts and making illogical arguments on the admission policy.

The students union claimed that they want to meet Vice Chancellor Jagadesh Kumar and raise their concerns about the changes in the admissions policy which they claim will lead to a massive seat cut in MPhil and PhD courses. (Source: Twitter)

JNU administration today alleged that the students who have been “illegally occupying” the admin block have been playing the “social justice” card by twisting facts and making illogical arguments on the admission policy. Following complaints from JNU Registrar, Delhi Police has lodged an FIR against a group of students who have been occupying the administrative block on campus since last week to seek an appointment with the VC over recent amendments in the varsity’s admissions policy.

The students union claimed that they want to meet Vice Chancellor Jagadesh Kumar and raise their concerns about the changes in the admissions policy which they claim will lead to a massive seat cut in MPhil and PhD courses.

“Unfortunately, these students have been playing the ‘social justice’ card by twisting facts and making illogical arguments on the admission policy.

“It has been made amply clear time and again that reservation system and relaxation of marks for the marginalized sections of the society, the hallmark of JNU’s admission policy, will be retained within the parameters of the 2016 UGC Regulations. How do then they claim that social justice is at stake?,” the varsity said in a statement.

Terming the agitating students as “champions of social justice”, the university said that the blockade is causing financial losses to the university.

“In fact, these so-called champions of ‘social justice’ are completely heartless and they do not care about the impact of their unlawful occupation and blockade on over a thousand contractual labourers employed by JNU.

“Employees of the university too cannot get their salary in time. Medical reimbursements have been delayed. Students in large numbers seeking jobs are unable to get necessary documents.

“Research projects and their timely activation are also being hampered. JRF, SRF and RA recruitments in projects are also held-up. And teachers seeking leave for attending conferences are finding it hard to process their papers,” it said.

“University will be losing huge sums of finances in terms of paying penalty or losing rebates, since the Finance Branch is not allowed to function. The potential danger lies in the fact that construction of the new hostels that are in pipeline will either be delayed or scrapped due to inability of JNU to meet the financial deadlines and myriad clearance,” it added.

The administration appealed the students “not to use social justice as an instrument of politics for narrow gains and requests them to uphold it by ending cruel and unlawful occupation/blockade of the administration building”.